Host: Sean Hanna, Director & Founder of Nemstar, an Information Security Specialist Company in Belfast, UK.

Episode Summary:
Should cybersecurity be about protection or value? It’s one of the toughest questions facing senior leaders today. On one side, you’ve got your IT team—obsessed with security and blue LEDs. On the other, your managers—focused on flexibility, speed, and profit. As a leader, you’re caught in the middle—balancing security measures with business agility without tipping the scales too far either way.

In this episode, I’ll explain why the business prevention mentality of IT can strangle innovation, while overly flexible management can leave your organisation exposed. We’ll dive into finding the Goldilocks zone where your cybersecurity measures are neither too restrictive nor too lax—maximising value while maintaining protection.

1. Why IT Loves Blue LEDs - How the technical mindset gravitates towards maximum control, and why that can kill business agility.

2. Why Managers Crave Flexibility - Why minimal security measures appeal to managers who are focused on profit and growth.

3. How to Find the Sweet Spot - Balancing cybersecurity and business value without creating a business prevention team.

- Balance Is Key - Too much security kills business value, while too little leaves you exposed.
- Binary Thinking Doesn’t Work - IT sees things as fixed or broken, but security is about managing risk in a balanced way.
- Lead from the Middle - Your job as a leader is to navigate the tension between IT’s desire for control and management’s need for agility.

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